Finally Finished Clutch!

This is going to a special customer who contacted me and asked what was left for inventory. This one was 1/2 finished then, but now it is done! I really love it and think it is so fun to carry! The shape is "curvy" and the hardware makes it feel kinda "fancy".

On to Christmas gifts!

{Don't you love my crock pot shot? :) }

My goodness I have not been posting much about my crafting lately! I have been busy and new things are in the works. I have not been sewing as much as before, but still have managed to get some home projects in as well as gifts for friends and a few custom orders.

Here's some stuff I have done lately if you are not on my Facebook page where I usually post everything:

Patchwork Pouch

Pleated Purse custom order

Cinnamon Lacework floral iPhone/Gadget pouch (in shop)

Some other items to get done are a tote for my mom, a handbag for a customer, and I am plotting a fall bag for myself. I found some yummy "tobacco soil" colored 100% linen and a bird's egg print that would go nicely together in shades of brown for fall. I am in the mood for earth tones for myself lately. Not sure when I'll get to it but I will let it gel in my head for a bit to get the design the way I want it. I can't believe I am already talking fall! It is only August!

I will be starting a part-time job this week (2 days per week) and am excited for this new chapter of my life!

Sew Inspired to Sew!

Hello!

I haven't been sewing much lately since it is hard to find time when all is settled on the homefront and I feel like it is cool for me to take a break and do a hobby, but this weekend I did find that time! :)

I sewed my niece a "Buttercup Bag" and I liked the style so much I sewed myself one in a new favorite fabric of mine. It is so sweet, summery, and juicy with these colors. They are all my favorite colors! I added a linen top panel to bring the intensity down a little, and then put two sweet little covered buttons at the top for fun. I am pretty happy with how it came out!

What is great is that this type of bag takes very little time to make compared to others in my pattern collection, but the down side is I can not sell these because the creator of the pattern said "no" to selling. :(

My favorite part is the interior fabric...

Orange and white polka dot! It reminds me of a creamsicle or orange julius...so sweet and fruity for summer! 

That's all from here!
God bless!

Supplies Are Up!

I've got a decent amount of supplies for sale in the shop! There is a mixture of bag making supplies and fabric. I haven't got too much fabric up for sale yet because I am having a hard time parting with it! I know, I am obsessed! I keep thinking "oh, that will be great for this project!!" SIGH.........


Thank you all for your support of my crazy business! :)

Treasure Pouches

I have listed 4 new "Treasure Pouches" in the shop that are a nice smallish size for holding your handbag items or little treasures that you need to collect in one place. They measure about 7 3/4" wide x 5.5" tall and are made in delightful designer prints that will add a little beauty and fun to your handbag.

Price is $15.00 with free shipping.

I am thinking about offering one size up from this--the "Charm Pouch"--in a more rectangular shape (this one is square-ish). I used to make them back in 2008 and I really liked them as well.

"Charm Pouch"

Hop on over to the shop and check them out!
=)

New Items and Still At It

Here is a wallet I made last night and posted in the shop today. My new schedule for sewing has been working out quite well and I am pleased that it has. My current schedule for sewing is either sewing during one of two of Luke's naps during the day, or if I can't manage that, I sew after everyone has gone to bed at night, usually between 9-10:30 p.m. Hubby has to go to bed early to get up for 4:30 every day. This works well. I don't tend to like to go to bed earlier so I create away until I get tired.

These specific verses (below) from Proverbs 31 in the Old Testament give me a lot of encouragement and vision for why and how to do this. I find a lot of satisfaction in being creative and industrious for my family's sake while not having to leave the home for a career. I hope to always be able to do this as  a stay at home mom and wife.

"She considers a field and buys it;
   out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks.
 She sees that her trading is profitable,
   and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
   and grasps the spindle with her fingers...

She makes linen garments and sells them,
   and supplies the merchants with sashes.
 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
   she can laugh at the days to come."

A New Wallet Style

Sorry it's been so long! As my baby grows older and more active, I have less and less time for sewing. But that is okay! I will take it where I can get it, and enjoy my son, who is more important.

So the latest thing I have tried is this small flap wallet with a place for cards and coins. I have never included a coin purse in my wallets, so this is new for me. I really like it, though! I do use cash now that I am doing the envelope method (Dave Ramsey) and this is where I stick my change.

This is the first and only one I have made so far. The flap's velcro was not positioned right (although I DID follow directions!) so the velcro parts are not quite reaching each other correctly. But I can still use it and have been using it as a tester. I really like how compact it is and the fact that it is PRETTY! :) Love this fabric.

What do you think of this style? Would you want one of these? Just curious if it is worth making more.

Bare Branches

The big Autumn winds have come and the leaves are almost all gone here in Northern New England, but it is still very beautiful as the earth is prepared for its resting season. I had to create a pouch in honor of what is happening in Creation right now...

 After the Big Wind Zipper Pouch for sale

A tree on our street is hanging on to those last golden leaves...

Happy Autumn!

Shop Updated!

Click here to see the new items.

Have a blessed day!

Free Motion Stitching: A New Birdie Pouch

Woo! Something I've been wanting to try for a long time. This is a relatively new method of sewing applique--kind of an artistic way of doing it...very modern. I saw a birdie that had been stitched free-motion style by someone online and wanted to try my own version. What came from it was a cute linen zipper pouch with an appliqued bird on it and some free style stitching applique.

(The back of the back exterior piece. Thought it looked neat from this side)

Pieces ready to be sewed together.

The finished product! Love this type of "fiber art". Can't wait to try more!

I love the loose, flowy, sketchy look to this. It looks like someone use a pen to draw the black lines on, but it is actually machine stitching. There are so many possibilities! I will be adding this to the shop sometime this week.

Sew Inspired Lately

It must be because the seasons are changing or something! It is so easy to be inspired creatively in Vermont.

Construction of my handbag for fall. I love the white contrasting stitching and what I call the "peek-a-boo" pleating. It is a bit different from my usual pleating style, but I really like it.

Since my son is starting to sleep through the night (finally, after 10 months of not!), I can get up early and sew and not fall asleep at the machine. Here is an apple pouch I created between 6 and 7 a.m. this morning. :) It is made with soft, brushed corduroy for the exterior. I will put it in the shop soon.

Tissue Cozies are Up!

Thanks to Dawn at By Sun & Candlelight, I was greatly encouraged to add some tissue cozies to my shop! It is that time of year when colds and allergies will start popping up more frequently, and these are great for keeping in your purse and protecting those much-needed travel tissues (that get squished!). 

I've uploaded three to the shop and hope to do more soon. These are so fun to make and can be either very simply designed, or full of sweet little details. I love adding linen to them for a soft, natural look. Then a dash of buttons or ribbon make it even sweeter. Hopefully there will be something for everyone!

Find them here.

Busy, busy!

I have been happily busy these past few weeks, making custom orders for friends and customers. Three people have requested custom-made Plover Pleated bags (as I now call them--after the bird, of course!) in black, gray, and a plant print. I loved doing the solids because I NEVER use solid fabrics unless it is for the linings. I don't know why I never do, I guess I just prefer prints and lots of color. But there is nothing wrong with a solid color, especially when it comes to matching your wardrobe for everyday use.

So, I would like to keep trying new things and want to do a bag in solid plum for fall. And maybe one in a cinnamon or chocolate brown. Yum.

The solids showcase the details of the bag so nicely. Prints tend to overpower them and you don't notice them unless you are looking close. That is another positive of a solid colored bag.

Pocket Clutch Preview

Coming soon...a new bag/wallet design that I just love! The lining of this one is sooo cute!!

These are so cute and handy (no pun intended) because they are compact, yet hold A LOT of cash/cards. They are fun to carry or have in your larger bag, and I am making them in really cute prints that I hope will meet a variety of tastes.

I have 2 made so far and want to get at least 3 or 4 completed before I list any. Both that I have done involve birds somewhere in the clutch.

Ta!

Phew!!

Ok, the shop is updated with 8 new items!

Please click here to view the items in more detail.

Cheers!

Shop Update Coming Soon!

Working on some new things for the shop! I am trying to do a shop update once instead of putting one thing up here and there. I would like to "blast" my shop with new items, you might say. :)

I purchased a new set of marketing graphics for the shop to give it a more put-together look, and for a GREAT price. Love when that happens. I really like the new look and feel it is more my style now than the old funky pink-based/bird clip art style designs I used to use. Sweet Sparrow is *growing up*. :)

Here is a sample of something that is coming up. I am so happy with this wallet design combined with this fun fabric, but I unfortunately got a black smudge on one corner that doesn't deem it sell-able at full price. So I am still going to list it since it is FINE other than that, but at $2.00 off the original  price.

Other Sparrow items coming:

•  Magazine Tote
• Basic Wallet (shown)
• Specialty linen zipper pouch in a neat design (involves embroidery)
• Small Satchel
• Tea Wallet

Stay tuned!!

Grumpy Gnome Pouch!

Here's a chubby, grumpy little gnome who landed on a patch of mushrooms and is mad about it! :)

The interior of this pouch has this wonderfully mod yellow and grey paisley print I just LOVE! Wasn't sure what to use it for before this project. It paired perfectly with the colors and feel of this pouch. 

Embroidery is so fun and has really neat results when you try different things with it. Linen is a little wrinkly looking sometimes, but is a fabulous fabric to use for crafts. It gives everything a wonderfully natural and simple looking feel.

I can't wait to use this mushroom fabric again! :)

I have some other ideas in my brain that are a little different from my traditional items that are usually in my shop. I like to change it up once in a while and get a little more creative. It is usually only when I have the time...

Till next time,

Sweet Sparrow

( ')>

Broken Needle Notes... & A Giveaway?

Ooops...I had quite the morning trying to sew one small simple thing! First, I needed to oil my machine which took a while. But it was worth it. Then, I had to clean my iron with Hot Iron Cleaner (I recommend this stuff!) to get all the glue-y gook from fusible interfacing to come off so it doesn't ruin anything I am working on. Then, I was sewing this zipper on to this pouch and CRACK! It broke right in half! This isn't hte first time I've broken a needle, so I wasn't TOO surprised, but still. I think my needle had been thinking about kicking the bucket a long time before today since I've been doing so much sewing and very little machine maintenance.

So, I replaced the needle with a #11 Universal needle and kept going. Boy, did the machine sound smoother. Huh, should have done that a while ago. I tend to get wrapped up in creating and ignore the "keeping up of my machine" part of crafting. I learned a lot of lessons from today and now have a nicely running machine without having to take it in to the shop and pay $70+ for repairs. Whew!!

This pouch turned out a little wonky because of the zipper. I don't like how the sides of the zipper look and are pinched in, but most people might not even notice.  I don't feel I should put it in the shop because of this. But I love the embroidery I did on the front and hate to throw it away! It is a perfectly usable pouch, but I am picky!

Would anyone be interested in a giveaway on Sweet Sparrow's Facebook page? If you do not use Facebook and are interested in a giveaway, just leave me a comment and I can include you. But I am not going to do a giveaway unless someone says I should and actually wants this CUTE pouch!!

Happy sewing (and remember to keep your machines maintained if you sew!)!!

New Pouch in the Shop

Something bright & cheery for springtime is in the shop! 

Natural linen + retro daisy dot in aqua = super fun zipper pouch!

LOVE this fabric!

I made a snap wallet out of the bird fabric today, and I am IN LOVE! I messed up the snap on this one by hammering it too hard and it shattered the pearl part on the front. It is still usable, but not good enough for the shop. SOOO I will keep this one and use it myself!! I hate when that happens. ;)

happy and sweet :)